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Published Dec 10, 2023
Hokies' three point prowess pushes them past Valparaiso
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Connor Mardian  •  HokieHaven
Hokie Haven Staff
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@connormardian10

The Hokies posted a 37% number from beyond the arc that ended up being the difference against the Valparaiso Beacons in what turned out to be a blowout contest between the two sides in a 71-50 Hokie win.

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This was a Hokies team that was littered with inexperience playing together as the Hokies starting five named Brandon Rechsteiner, Hunter Cattoor, Tyler Nickel, Mekhi Long and Lynn Kidd. Mainstay guard Sean Pedulla was ruled out due to a foot injury, while Robbie Beran and MJ Collins began the game on the bench.

As half No. 1 came to an end the Maroon and Orange found themselves up by 14 although their turnover numbers sat at a concerning 11.

The Hokies found success beyond the arc as Virginia Tech was dialed in from beyond the arc hitting 10 threes compared to the Beacons three total.

The second half followed the tempo of the first barring the Hokies constant turnovers as they trimmed their second-half numbers to just four, while also continuing to assert their dominance on the glass as they would end up outrebounding the Valparaiso by 19 boards.

While this by no means was the Hokies best performance of the year, with a chop and change side that Mike Young listed, there was evident promise. A number of fluent backdoor cuts and sharp passes were sprinkled throughout Saturday afternoon that were able to shred through this Vapariso side.

The offense wasn't the only thing clicking for the Hokies as holding any Divison One opponent to just 50 points is something any team in the nation will take, as Virginia Tech found ways to limit the Beacons all night long, not allowing a single Beacon over 14 points on the day.

The star player of the game is Tyler Nickel. Nickel was efficient as he clipped 57% from beyond the arc, which is the type of performance Hokie fans wish to see more of. Nickel, after all, is the all-time Virginia High School scoring leader with a fluid release that looks good every time. Along with Nickel's 12 points, he was also the only Hokie with valuable minutes who did not commit a single turnover which really propelled him to the top of this list. While performances like these need to be more consistent from the UNC transfer after his somewhat sputtering start, any night with stellar shooting is bound to boost his confidence.

For the Hokies, their homestand must take another long wait. They will face Vermont next Saturday inside Cassell Coliseum at 4 p.m.

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FOOTBALL
Scores / Schedule
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5 - 6
Overall Record
3 - 4
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Duke
31
Arrow
Duke
Virginia Tech
28
Virginia Tech
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14
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Clemson
24
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Syracuse
38
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31
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